Tuesday, December 13, 2011

CLD #455

Sponsored for the Refua Shlema of Refael ben Esther.
Baruch Hashem, Chanukah is only a week away!
We need to take extra effort during these days (even though its final’s week and everyone is wrapping up their semester) to focus on Chanukah, on spiritual light, and most importantly on our spiritual connection with Hashem not only in Shul or on Shabbat, but throughout everything we do. Speak to Him, you will see miracles.
How can we begin to connect everything? What is an example? This morning my Chavruta told me to open up to Berachot 4b. The Masechet is packed with interesting Torah that is very relevant, definitely for beginners.
So we looked at an amazing Gemara that spoke about the difference between Malach Meechael, Malach Gavriel, (also Eliyahu HaNavi and Malach HaMavet).

Rabbi Elazar bar Avina brings a Pasuk (verse) from Yoshiyahu (6:6) that explains (angel) Malach Meechael only needed a single ‘ignition’ of his wings in order to go do what Hashem intrsucted him to do. However, in another Pasuk (Daniel 9:21), we see that Malach Gavriel has two separate ‘ignitions’ for his wings to operate in order to go do the mission that Hashem instructed him to do. The Maharsha, a Mepharesh (commentary) on the Gemara explains on a deeper level the reason why it only takes one ‘push’ for Malach Meechael’s wings to operate compared to two blasts for Malach Gavriel. He says that Meechael is the Malach (angel) that brings Hashem’s Rachamim (mercy) into the world by awarding Am Yisrael with schar (reward).
Malach Gavriel is the Malach that brings Hashem’s Din (judgment) into the world by punishing the Reshaim (the wicked).
So now we can understand why the Psukim differ on the number of times it takes Gavriel and Meechael to operate their wings. Hashem gives Meechael one button to turn on his wings because Hashem wants His Rachamim to be scattered throughout the world. However, Gavriel has double the work to go do what Hashem instructs and punish the Reshaim. Why? Because Hashem does not want to punish the Reshaim! He gives them another chance between Gavriel’s first and second button to do Teshuva (repentance)!

How is this related to Chanukah? Chanukah is about Am Yisrael being saved by Hashem. As we stated on yesterday’s CLD, the Yeshuah (redemption) was based more on the spiritual realm rather than the actual war with the Greeks. What do we learn from the malachim in Masechet Berachot? That Hashem is THE Rachman (merciful).

B’H we should realize no matter how we fall spiritually we can ALWAYS come back to Hashem with Simcha, Ahava and open arms.
The Or (light) of Chanukah is everlasting. Take advantage of such a spiritual Chag and live the spirituality NOW.

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